Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics with Placement Year

at University of Bath United Kingdom

Develop the skills to resolve complex economic issues. Learn economic theories, methods and applications, and become acquainted with chosen specialist areas.

In this course, you’ll study the foundations of economic theory and its applications to real-world problems. You’ll explore the connections between the economy as a whole, its main sectors (such as businesses, the financial sector, government, for example) and the decisions of individuals.

You’ll learn how to apply economic principles and methods to policy issues. You’ll develop your knowledge of institutions to understand how economic decisions and policies are made.

Your first year is concerned with key concepts in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. You’ll further your skills in core mathematics, statistics and data analysis. In Year 2, you’ll build on this through intermediate study of economic theory. The study of econometrics will enable you to estimate and forecast economic relationships. The final year will teach you advanced economic theory. A selection of optional units will enable you to tailor your expertise to your personal interests and career aspirations.

Year abroad

On this course you'll broaden your horizons and experience another culture whilst studying a course that complements your studies at Bath.

Study abroad locations include the National University of Singapore and Stellenbosch University (South Africa), as well as others. We seek to further expand on these. Study abroad opportunities are limited and are subject to availability at our partner institutions.

Study a master’s that focuses on giving you the technological skills to be part of the sustainability transformation in the automotive sector.

Our course teaches you how to use the knowledge from your first degree to further your education and specialise in automotive technology. The sector needs to find more sustainable technological solutions for the future of vehicle engineering. And as it evolves, it needs people with the skills to not only keep up with change but also to lead it. Our course develops your knowledge and skills for this including areas such as advanced propulsion systems, sustainable mobility and innovation.

We’ll introduce you to key scientific principles and give you specialist insight into the subject to help you build on your existing skills. Exploring a range of automotive engineering applications and technologies, you’ll consider their impact, analysing past failures and predicting future challenges and successes. You’ll develop systems-thinking approaches to understand the breadth of challenges faced in the sector such as moral, ethical and sustainability issues.

A group project and your dissertation will give you the space to explore the application of one or more technologies in depth. You’ll focus on technology roadmapping, supported by holistic assessments such as life-cycle analysis. A further part of your studies gives you an understanding of current and future business models, considering how to balance economic growth with impact on society.

Learn about global development from a heterodox economics perspective, and gain the skills to work in economic and development policy and practice.

This course addresses the contemporary challenges of global development, utilising core economic concepts, theories and methods. Rooted in real-world practical and policy challenges, the course is founded on Bath’s longstanding engagement in international development and applied economic analysis. It uses innovative learning approaches to promote in-depth investigation of cases and issues, drawing links across global, regional, national and local scales. We offer you the opportunity of a placement-based research project, providing hands-on experience to complement campus-based learning.

Explore issues facing us in the 21st century relating to crime and criminal justice. Develop research and data handling skills relevant to a range of careers.

This degree has a strong global focus. You’ll explore crime and related topics from around the world, including human rights and terrorism, social justice, contemporary social problems, and the globalisation of crime.

You’ll develop an in-depth knowledge of how the various components of the criminal justice system work, from the police through to prison and probation. As well as a strong theoretical grounding, the course is designed to equip you with practical skills in critical enquiry, research and data generation.

Studying at Bath means you’ll get to work with a leading team of criminal justice researchers and criminologists, with significant global expertise. There’s also the chance to hone your skills further by doing a placement year in a relevant setting.

Mathematics enables us to reason logically, to understand structure and to formulate scientific principles, whether from the physical, life or social sciences.

Choose this course to gain specialist knowledge in pure mathematics, applied mathematics and/or statistics.

Tailor to your interests

At the start of the course, you’ll gain a broad education in pure and applied mathematics, including programming and statistics. You’ll have the freedom to study a broader mathematical pathway or specialise in your favourite subject areas, enhancing your analytical thinking and appreciation of the beauty of mathematics.

All of our courses are flexible and allow for a wide choice of units after year one. You may be able to switch courses during the first year.

Year abroad

Broaden your horizons with a year studying at a university abroad. You’ll experience another culture whilst studying a course that complements your studies at Bath.

We have links with universities in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and Europe. This includes Binghamton University, National University Singapore, University of Canterbury, Stellenbosch University and the University of Helsinki.

Master the logic, rigour and proof of mathematics alongside the universal principles of physics to prepare you for a wide range of careers.

This course is for you if you enjoy and excel at pure mathematics and want to apply that to the study of physics from subatomic particles to the formation of new galaxies. You’ll get to understand the rigour and application of mathematics and how it underpins our study of the physical world.

Develop a deep understanding of the fundamental principles of physics, expand your knowledge with flexible options and get involved in our high-level research.

This is our broadest physics degree and gives you the opportunity to explore a wide range of areas in physics, from the nanoscale to the most energetic processes in the Universe.

As well as gaining a deep knowledge and understanding of physics, you’ll graduate with strong experimental, mathematical and computational expertise. You’ll gain powerful problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills, preparing you for careers in physics and many other fields as well.

Placement Year

As an MPhys student, you can choose to undertake a research placement in the final year of the course. You’ll spend six months (July to December) working in a research organisation of international standing, before returning to the University for the final semester. We have links with leading research organisations, including CERN, NTT Basic Research Laboratories (Japan), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (France) and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Make sense of issues underpinning contemporary global challenges such as the impact of climate change and international inequalities.

On this degree you’ll combine the study of politics with an engagement in economic theory and practice. It will appeal if you’re interested in issues of global power, decision-making, democracy and inequality.

You’ll cover topics such as international politics, political ideologies and economic thought. You will explore a range of contemporary economic and political challenges facing national and international society, such as terrorism and climate change.

In your first year you'll focus on concepts and theories relating to both politics and international relations. You'll study economic theory and methodology, and explore contemporary political and economic systems.

In your second year you'll advance your knowledge in political and economic theory. You can focus your studies through optional units covering areas from global responses to international environmental crises, to the nature of UK Parliamentary politics. You'll also develop your skills in research design and methods.

You’ll carry out a year-long dissertation and select optional units relating to your interests in politics and economics, with themes such as financialisation, inter-state relations, and gender politics.

Placement Year

The placement year is an opportunity for you to use the theory you have learnt in a practical context. You will learn about an organization and its area of work. This is an excellent opportunity to test potential career paths. Sometimes permanent jobs are offered to our students.

You’ll develop skills such as teamwork, planning, problem-solving, decision making and project management. Employers value a year of professional work and you’ll gain an advantage in the job market.

Over the years we have built contacts with a large number of organizations that can provide the high standard of training we expect.

Learn about the deep connections between mathematics and theoretical physics and develop your scientific computing and theoretical modelling skills to understand and solve complex physical problems.

This course is for you if you want to study a broad physics degree with less emphasis on experimental laboratories and a stronger focus on theoretical, mathematical and computational aspects of physics.

You'll study the cornerstones of theoretical physics while developing your understanding of their mathematical foundations. Our courses reflect our theoretical research expertise in condensed matter, photonics and astrophysics. The computational physics and programming aspects also reflect the more applied nature of our theoretical research.

The combination of theoretical and practical knowledge of physics and mathematics is highly sought-after by employers and also gives an excellent grounding for postgraduate or industrial research.

Placement Year

Apply your skills and knowledge to a year working full-time in a scientific or other professional organisation, anywhere around the world. It is an excellent opportunity to evaluate future career paths and broaden your experience and transferable skills, giving a competitive edge when applying for graduate jobs. 95% of physics students agreed their placement was valuable in helping their learning (National Student Survey 2017).

You can choose from a wide range of roles to match your interests, from working in marketing to a lab-based role at a research institute. We have links with some of the industry’s leading companies and recent employers include BAE Systems, CERN, Dyson, Morgan Stanley, Rolls-Royce and Samsung.

Gain a solid grounding in core management areas. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to open career opportunities in accounting, finance and a range of other sectors.

Accounting and finance professionals are important to almost all functions of business. Learn to use your numerical abilities in a practical way.

Placement Year

Apply your skills and knowledge in a practical business environment with a placement year. Placements are real jobs and usually paid. You will gain a distinct advantage in the graduate job market with this valuable experience.

The average UK salary of an accounting and finance placement student in 2019 was £21,660. The highest salary was £50,000. Recent employers include Goldman Sachs, UBS and PwC.

The average salary is based on data provided to us by all 64 students who went on placement in the UK in 2019.